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The Moroccan Interior Ministry said the death toll from the powerful earthquake on the evening of September 8 had risen to 632, while 329 people were injured.
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| Scene of devastation after the earthquake. Photo: REUTERS |
In a televised update on the death toll, the Moroccan Interior Ministry urged people to remain calm. Earlier, a local official said most of the victims were in inaccessible mountainous areas. The city of Marrakech is the closest to the epicenter. The quake collapsed many buildings in the ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Other affected localities include Al Haouz, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant. According to witnesses, there were multiple tremors lasting about 20 seconds.
Leaders of many countries have sent their condolences to Morocco. In his opening remarks at the G20 Summit in India on the morning of September 9, host Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the loss of life caused by the earthquake in Morocco and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured. He affirmed that India is ready to support Morocco in this difficult time.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also sent his condolences to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake in Morocco via social network X (formerly Twitter). He wrote: “At this difficult time, our thoughts are with the victims of the terrible earthquake. Our thoughts are with those affected by this natural disaster.”
Morocco's geophysics agency said the earthquake struck in the Ighil area of the High Atlas mountains and had a magnitude of 7.
The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.8 and a relatively shallow epicenter of 18.5km. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit Morocco since a 2004 disaster near Al Hoceima in the Rif Mountains in the north of the country that killed more than 600 people.
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